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A frame-by-frame look at Hartwig and the O-line:

Here's a frame-by-frame analysis of the O-line performance, including the blocking by TE's. For all the tools who love to point fingers at FWP for putting us in third and long, just look at the plays. As you can see, there are multiple occasions of the D-line getting into the backfield before the RB even makes it to the LoS. I sincerely hope that Hartwig is an upgrade and the line 'gels' before the season. If they don't, we could be seeing more of this.

Re: A frame-by-frame look at Hartwig and the O-line:

If it's over or anywhere from 37 and greater, Ben doesn't make it through the season. Sacks are one thing, but, if Ben is being sacked 2.5 times per game then that means he's being hit on other plays that don't get marked as sacks, because, he got rid of the ball. If Ben continues to get hit as often as he did in the past two years his career will be a brief one, regardless of his size.

Re: A frame-by-frame look at Hartwig and the O-line:

Good post!.......... I love that site... A few guys used it to illustrate thier point last year...

I really do think Hartwig will be an improvement over Mahan, but I also believe our line is gonna struggle alot regardless of any "gelling".....

Question is; ... "47... Over or under?..."

They will struggle, but I'm cautiously optimistic that it will improve from last year. If Ben learns to release the ball faster and step up in the pocket, that will also do wonders for the sack numbers.

Re: A frame-by-frame look at Hartwig and the O-line:

I dig that site as well. If you clickon the home page and scroll down, you'll find the following:

Quick Hitters from Preseason Game 3:

*For the past season or two we’ve been hearing how much the coaching staff likes reserve C/G Darnell Stapleton. Well, I finally went out of my way to watch him during my breakdown session and came away a bit unimpressed. He’s OK (not great, not awful) but I don’t get what all the hype is about.

*Sean Mahan might have had the worst game of his entire life. I hate to do ANOTHER Frame by Frame with Mahan in the mix but I might have to give you a few shots of his horrendous play. Maybe a video montage. We’ll see. He was absolutely awful.

*Hartwig is a noticeable upgrade from Mahan. People are down on the OL again this year but some might be giving Hartwig some grief just because he’s associated with the rest of our line. Give him a chance this season…..when you watch closely, he really is a nice step up from Mahan (not sure that’s saying a whole lot). Hall of Famer he ain’t but he will get the job done and will NOT be a team weakness.

*Willie Colon and Kendall Simmons could team up to ruin our season. I think my more in-depth breakdown later in the week will focus on these 2 guys. It is after games like this that I wonder why doesn’t Starks get a real chance at RT and why don’t Mahan/Essex/etc…get a chance at RG? They must really think Colon has some amazing upside. After the way he played in Minnesota, a huge improvement would be if he played as well as the Steelers backup RT (Max Starks). So I guess the Steeler coaching staff is hoping that one day, if all goes well, Colon will find a way to be as good as our backup RT. That’s setting the bar pretty low, no?

*Willie Reid most likely made the team. You all know I love me some Willie Reid, so that makes me happy. We know Mewelde Moore can return punts and Mendenhall isn’t exactly a Kickoff Return specialist, so please tell me why Willie Reid isn’t back there to return almost every single PR/KR? I feel like he gets one KR per game and then we get to watch Moore, Mendy, Russell, Davis, Drummond, etc…take turns. I really thought we’d be watching Reid and Bloom return every single kick/punt this preseason. Guess I was wrong.

*Chris Kemoeatu had a fantastic game and by the end of the season will be thought of as the Steelers best offensive lineman. Marvel Smith has the glamour position at LT and he’s a known “name” but Kemo will be a monster for this team. He’s scheduled to be a FA in the offseason….the Steelers would be wise to lock him up right now.

*LB Woodley had a real solid performance. He shed blocks to stop the run, he pressured the QB, and he looked like a starter. He had a few lapses in zone coverage (we’ll address those later in the week) but overall he probably had his best game of the preseason.

*Fumbling aside, Mendenhall actually looks better than I ever imagined. I had no idea he was that quick and that powerful. He might have quicker feet than Willie Parker.

*Keyaron Fox and Mewelde Moore continue to play well. These are 2 very underrated signings by the Steelers. Fox looks like the best player on the field whenever he’s out there with the 2nd/3rd teamers and is a special teams beast. Moore has looked good in the return game and has been responsible for picking up some big 3rd down conversions.

Mineral Ridge, Ohio (Where the standard of expectation does not change)!!!

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Re: A frame-by-frame look at Hartwig and the O-line:

Originally Posted by Flasteel

*Chris Kemoeatu had a fantastic game and by the end of the season will be thought of as the Steelers best offensive lineman. Marvel Smith has the glamour position at LT and he’s a known “name” but Kemo will be a monster for this team. He’s scheduled to be a FA in the offseason….the Steelers would be wise to lock him up right now.

I would love for them to lock him up Now also. It probably won't happen and he'll get a huge deal somewhere else next March I'm afraid.

Re: A frame-by-frame look at Hartwig and the O-line:

Originally Posted by Flasteel

*Willie Colon and Kendall Simmons could team up to ruin our season. I think my more in-depth breakdown later in the week will focus on these 2 guys. It is after games like this that I wonder why doesn’t Starks get a real chance at RT and why don’t Mahan/Essex/etc…get a chance at RG? They must really think Colon has some amazing upside. After the way he played in Minnesota, a huge improvement would be if he played as well as the Steelers backup RT (Max Starks). So I guess the Steeler coaching staff is hoping that one day, if all goes well, Colon will find a way to be as good as our backup RT. That’s setting the bar pretty low, no?

This part stuck out for me. Don't even get me started on that PoS Simmons, but I've never been sold on Colon, either. He seems to get a lot of love, but people seem to forget that he (supposedly) gave up more sacks than anyone on the line last year. I honestly thought Starks would have been the better option at RT. I pray the coaches know something we don't.

I know Colon works his arse off, but that's not enough. You have to actually produce, and so far I have yet to see anything impressive out of that man.

Re: A frame-by-frame look at Hartwig and the O-line:

Originally Posted by SteelTorch

Originally Posted by Flasteel

*Willie Colon and Kendall Simmons could team up to ruin our season. I think my more in-depth breakdown later in the week will focus on these 2 guys. It is after games like this that I wonder why doesn’t Starks get a real chance at RT and why don’t Mahan/Essex/etc…get a chance at RG? They must really think Colon has some amazing upside. After the way he played in Minnesota, a huge improvement would be if he played as well as the Steelers backup RT (Max Starks). So I guess the Steeler coaching staff is hoping that one day, if all goes well, Colon will find a way to be as good as our backup RT. That’s setting the bar pretty low, no?

This part stuck out for me. Don't even get me started on that PoS Simmons, but I've never been sold on Colon, either. He seems to get a lot of love, but people seem to forget that he (supposedly) gave up more sacks than anyone on the line last year. I honestly thought Starks would have been the better option at RT. I pray the coaches know something we don't.

I know Colon works his arse off, but that's not enough. You have to actually produce, and so far I have yet to see anything impressive out of that man.

I agree Torch.

I don't understand how the starting RT spot was announced so early in camp, while it took until this week to announce Hartwig at C. So, they are paying the guy almost $7M and not giving him every last opportunity to earn the position over a guy who has been less than impressive.